New Books Network Colin Williamson, "Drawn to Nature: American Animation in the Age of Science" (U Minnesota Press, 2025)
Dec 25, 2025
Colin Williamson, a film historian and assistant professor specializing in animation history, explores the intersection of science and American animation in his work. He discusses how scientific ideas influenced iconic films like Disney's Fantasia and how early animators navigated industrial modernity. Williamson shares compelling links between public debates, evolutionary thought, and animation's evolution. His insights reveal unexpected historical connections that bridge art and science, reshaping our understanding of animation's role in cultural discourse.
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Science Shapes Animation Aesthetics
- Animators repeatedly borrowed scientific ideas to shape cartoon aesthetics and narratives.
- Colin Williamson argues these science–animation links reshape how we read American animation history.
Archive Find That Sparked The Book
- Williamson found Fantasia concept drawings in the Disney archives resembling biological studies of plant cells.
- That archival surprise launched his broader inquiry into animation's scientific ties.
Industrialization Fuels Cartoon Anxiety
- Early American animation reflected both optimism about industrial progress and anxiety about its chaotic effects.
- Animators often staged fantasies of control where the animator restores order to industrialized chaos.